Game device



Sept. 29, 1970 C. H. VAUTER GAME DEVICE Filed March 15. 1967 INVENTOR.

@ZW U W irraQME/j United States Patent "Ice 3,531,124 GAME DEVICE Clarence H. Vauter, Golf Manor, Ohio (2543 Vera Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio 45237) Filed Mar. 15, 1967, Ser. No. 623,292 Int. Cl. A63b 71/06 US. Cl. 273-138 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A game device having two indicators, both mounted to roll inside a single shell and both actuated by movement of the shell to give separate chance indications. One indicator is a ball which rolls in a rollway. The other indicator is a die which moves in an enclosure inside the rollway. Both indicators are actuated by orbital swinging of the shell to cause the ball to roll in the rollway and to cause the die to tumble inside the enclosure. A wall of the enclosure extends upwardly almost to an upper transparent wall of the shell so that the ball and die are trapped in the rollway and enclosure respectively.

This invention relates to a game device. More particularly, this invention relates to a chance operated game device.

An object of this invention is to provide a game device which has two separate indicators within a single shell which are both operated by movement of the shell but which fall into indicating position separately so that manipulation of the results thereof is made substantially impossible.

Briefly, this invention provides a game device having a shell inside which is a rollway containing a ball indicator. The ball indicator can rotate inside the shell until it falls into one of a series of indicator slots. Inside the rollway is provided a cup inside which a second indicator or game piece, which can be a six-sided indicating device such as a die or the like, is disposed. Swinging movement of the shell causes both the ball indicator and the game piece to turn independently but at the same time. Indicating indicia can be disposed both on faces of the game piece and on the slots into which the ball indicator can fall, and the sets of indicating indicia can be related.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains from the following detailed description and the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a game device constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention; and

FIG. 2 is a view in section taken on the line 22 in FIG. 1.

In the following detailed description, and the drawing, like reference characters indicate like parts.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 is shown a game device 9 constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention. The game device includes an upper hollow domeshaped piece 10 and a lower piece 12 (FIG. 2). Outer peripheral dimensions of the upper and lower pieces can be the same so that they can be assembled as shown with a strip of opaque pressure sensitive tape 13 holding 3,531,124 Patented Sept. 29, 1970 the peripheral edges in assembled relation to form a hollow shell. An annular rib 14 on the edge of the lower piece fits into an annular groove 15 in the edge of the upper piece to hold the edges in alignment. Both pieces can be' formed of transparent plastic material so that movement of objects in the lower portion can be observed, portions of the lower piece being covered with opaque material as will be set forth more fully hereinafter. Edges can be circular in form to provide a rollway 16 in which a ball member 17 (FIG. 1) can be rotated.

The lower piece 12 includes a substantially flat circular central portion 18 bounded by an upstanding wall 19 which extends upwardly to adjacent the lower face of the upper piece 10 to form a cup-shaped central enclosure 19'.

The wall 19 can be transparent so that movement of a game piece or die '20 in the central enclosure can be observed. An opaque lining 21 can cover the central portion 18 to give a background against which the game piece 20 can readily be observed. The game piece 20, as shown, can be six-sided and is provided with faces 22, 22a, and 22b, which can be provided with coatings of distinctive colors, as indicated, the face 22 being black, the face 22a being orange, and the face 22b (FIG. 1) being green. The other faces, not shown, can be other selected distinctive colors. The game piece 20 is adapted to roll inside the central enclosure in the manner that a single die can roll. A wall portion 23 which connects the central portion 18 and the upstanding wall 19 can slope upwardly and outwardly as shown so that there is no sharp cornered edge to catch the game piece 20 as it rolls. The central enclosure is much larger than the game piece 20 so that the game piece can roll freely. The wall portion 23 has a breather hole 23.

Outboard of the cup-shaped central enclosure is provided an annular shelf 24 which terminates in a plurality of slots 25, each of which is adapted to catch and hold the ball member 17. On the shelf 24 opposite each slot is indicia 26 (FIG. 1) representing a numerical value. In addition, on each shelf is color indicia 27, which can be the same as the color indication on one of the faces of the game piece 20. The indicia 26 and 27 can be on an annular sheet which is adhesively attached to the shelf 24.

As shown in FIG. 1, the slots 25 face outwardly. The slots extend into the rollway 16 (FIG. 2). Outboard of the slots, the upper face 28 of the lower portion 12 slopes upwardly and outwardly so that the ball indicator 17 rolls downwardly toward the slots 25 and can come to rest in one of the slots 25. A collar 29 extends downwardly from the central portion of the lower piece 12 and is adapted to support the game device on a fiat surface 31.

When in use, the game device 9 is swung to cause the ball indicator 17 to revolve in the rollway 1 6. Such swinging of the game device also causes the game piece 20 to roll inside the central enclosure 19. The game piece 20 comes to rest in the central enclosure 19' and the ball indicator comes to rest in one of the slots. However, it is substantially impossible for an operator to control action of both the ball indicator 17 and the game piece 20 so that even if one of these movable 3 members or indicators can be controlled, the other is beyond control. Various means of reading the indicators can be used. For example, when the color of the upper face of the game piece 20 differs from the color at the slot 25 where the ball indicator 17 stops, a miss can be recorded.

The game device is subject to structural modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as novel and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A game device which comprises a central cupshaped enclosure, a die in the enclosure free to tumble therein, a rollway surrounding the central enclosure, a ball indicator rollable in the rollway, and a plurality of slots facing the rollway and adapted to receive the ball indicator, selected indicia on faces of the die and similar selected indicia at selected slots, said device being of a size and shape to permit manual agitation thereof to cause the ball indicator to roll in the rollway and the die to tumble in the enclosure.

2. A game device as in claim 1 wherein a transparent dome-shaped upper piece of the game device overlies both the rollway and the central enclosure and a wall of the enclosure extends upwardly to adjacent the upper piece to trap the ball indicator in the rollway and the die in the central enclosure.

4 3. A game device as in claim 2 wherein the wall of the central enclosure is transparent.

4. A game device as in claim 1 wherein there is selected color indicia on faces of the die and similar color indicia at selected slots.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,376,199 4/1921 Gotsche 273138 Re. 16,246 1/1926 Culp.

2,035,638 3/1936 Culp 273-138 2,601,985 7/ 1952 Yerkes 273138 X 1,436,909 11/1922 Roberts. 2,831,692 4/1958 Keast.

FOREIGN PATENTS 549,183 4/1932 Germany. 530,100 12/ 1940 Great Britain. 2,680 1899 Great Britain.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner A. W. KRAMER, Assistant Examiner 

